I have had a Raon Digital Vega for the last two weeks, thanks to Dynamism.com. In the above picture, it makes my diminutive TabletKiosk eo v7110 look huge. Other active UMPC sites have reviewed this in depth and my experiences, enjoyment, and complaints about the device are identical to Steve’s over at Carrypad. I do suggest that people in the UMPC market read that review for an idea of what to expect from this device compared to other UMPCs. I needed to approach this review in a very different way:
What’s this Vega thing, anyway?
Sure looks like a computer to me. Sharp screen too.
I’m going to ask my dear readers to ignore, for a moment, that the Vega is a “computer.” That’s right. Ignore that fact. Don’t call it a computer. It’s not a PDA, portable gaming device, or internet tablet either. It’s just a Vega. Why are we stripping titles from this device? Removing the “title” from a device dissolves expectations.
Like Steve, I had expectations upon opening my Vega box. I wanted it to be the first truly pocketable Windows XP machine. I wanted it to be a device I can take everywhere and with which I could do anything. With that in mind, I rapidly ran into the limitations of the device. Without Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, my familiar input methods were gone. Without integrated WiFi and Bluetooth, requiring dongles for those features cut down on portability. In short: My expectations ruined my fun with the Vega.
In-Car Terminal: Great on the Vega
In short, my experience with my TabletKiosk eo v7110 was giving the Vega an unfair shake. I had to back-pedal on this review and start fresh? What CAN the Vega do well?
Portability: While thicker than my Nokia 770 Internet Tablet, it still fits comfortably in my jacket pocket.
Media playback: The built-in stereo speakers are loud enough to share a song or video with friends and the headphone jack is well positioned. The screen is bright and sharp.
Battery life: I regularly got 4-5 hours of active use with the Vega.
Extensibility: Windows XP and USB host ports means just about anything can work with this device.
Not too heavy, either.
What does that give me? Well, the Vega could simply be the best portable media player ever, with much more available. The ability to choose Windows Media Player, iTunes, WinAmp, or any other of hundreds of media playback front-ends makes it yet more flexible. Let’s compare it to other popular portable media players:
iPod Video
Microsoft Zune
Zen Vision M
Raon Digital Vega
Size
104 x 61 x 11 mm
112 x 61 x 15 mm
104 x 62 x 19 mm
160 x 80 x 27.5 mm
Weight
136g
159g
163g
480g (extended batt.)
Screen size
2.5"
3"
2.5"
4.3"
Resolution
320x240
320x240
320x240
800x480
Storage
30GB
30GB
30GB
30G (20+ available)
Formats
M4V, MP4, MOV
WMV
WMV, AVI
Any!
Price
MSRP $249
MSRP $250
MSRP $250
Dynamism $879
The primary disadvantages compared to the above products are size, price, boot-up time, and the tendency to run warm after long video playback times. On the other hand, the ability to use any Windows XP front-end software, downloadable CODEC, and file format gives it significant advantages. The screen and integrated speakers, of course, add a great deal to this experience.
The air exhaust at the bottom runs a little warm after a while.
Now we have a large, expensive portable media player. What else could this thing do? The size and screen is quite conducive to in-car use since many existing PDA holders would comfortably hold the Vega.
Let’s look at navigation! Microsoft Streets and Trips works beautifully with a Bluetooth or USB GPS. I used a tiny, inexpensive Bluetooth USB dongle (yet smaller than the integrated WiFi dongle that comes with the Vega) and my iBlue GPS receiver. In the video, it shows how well this works.
Easy dash mounting
Now that we’ve covered navigation and media playback, it’s quite apparent that this device is strong as an in-car PC. It’s easier to mount than my UMPC and the mounting does not leave a plate attached to the back of the device. I used a PDA mount screwed to the plate on a ProClip USA vent mount.
I did attempt to use my favorite front-end software, StreetDeck, on the Vega. It did not work because StreetDeck’s system requirements are greater than that which the Vega can provide.
Workstation replacement? Not quite.
With this, the Raon Digital Vega does have few good primary purposes. Secondary purposes can be:
Occasional/light web browsing
Occasional/light Email
PDA replacement using Outlook or other software
Offloading images for digital photographers
XP Home: Not my first choice.
In order to make the Vega a viable option in the market in which TabletKiosk, OQO, and Samsung excel, there are a few changes that are absolutely needed. I consider the following to be the bare minimum in system changes for the next revision:
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.
Integrated WiFi and Bluetooth
Better graphics for media front-ends
With those minimum requirements and pricing not more than US $600, the Vega could possibly take the portable computer market by storm. It will replace laptops, PDAs, stand-alone GPS devices, and portable media players. The current Vega is a good device for a niche market, but I hope Raon Digital stays with this idea and keeps this form factor alive.
Thanks again to Dynamism for lending me a unit for review. For those who are unaware of Dynamism: They specialize in providing the most rare and elite consumer electronics. Many of which are not available in the United States. They also provide support for these products when the manufacturer does not offer such services in the US.
I've written about Orb a few times already, but it slipped to the back of my mind recently as I focused on other fields. As it turns out, that was a mistake. Orb 2.0 was announced early this month and the improvements are vast. When coupled with a "full browser" like IE or Firefox, it provides a simply beautiful feature-rich interface.
While writing a new article about Orb for my Nokia 770 blog, I realized that an identical post and video for UMPC owners would not do justice to the new interface. Opera on the Nokia 770, while very robust for a pocketable device, does not properly show off the new interface. Here are some screenshots. (click for larger images) To get going with Orb:
Download and install Orb on your Media Center PC or any computer with your media library and/or a TV tuner.
I have a Raon Digital Vega from Dynamism for review. I will be shipping it back on the 2nd. My review and videos are nearly complete, but I wanted to ask my readers if there is any software they'd like me to test on this unit before the article is posted.
My Gmail name is ThoughtFix. Send me software suggestions. I've already tested Streetdeck, InCarTerminal, Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006, several games, and a few examples of media playback.
It's a good bet that many people are unwrapping brand new ultra-mobile PC this week, so I wanted to put together a list of articles you should read first. Steve from CarryPad and Frank (aka CTitanic) from ultramobilepc-tips both contributed to this list. For that, I thank them!
What about software? Well, there's way too much out there to include in just one article, so I made a post on origamiproject forums to ask all the other UMPC users out there to suggest the right stuff. Take a look at that and feel free to join in the conversation.
To all new owners and everyone who reads: Welcome to the UMPC world and happy holidays!
More Smartphone writing and mobile data service analysis.
Continuing tracking the LJPRX-34 (popularly, the Nokia 870 tablet) until launch and beyond.
Extended use of video in reviews
Oh... and this! That thing on the lower left, my friends, is a Vega. This unit came from Dynamism. It's the same screen size and resolution as the Nokia 770 tablet to it's right, but about the thickness of the eo. I could've hammered out a review this weekend but I am going to put it through a much more broad range of scenarios and see if I can find just the right niche for this device.
I’m no stranger to GPS software. Between the Nokia 770, i-mate SP5m, and Ultra-Mobile PC, I’ve tried quite a few. This time, I am giving taking a spin with CoPilot Live for the Motorola Q. After several weeks of testing, I think that this would be a great solution for fleet management. Below, you’ll find why. Thanks to ALK for providing me with this unit for review. While the information below is very heavily tilted toward the Motorola Q, identical software is available through ALK for most PDAs and Smartphones.
In the box, you’ll find a 1GB MiniSD card with the software pre-loaded, a CD with a backup of the entire application, a Bluetooth GPS module, and a standard 12V socket charger for charging the GPS module in your car. A button type dash mount for your phone is included as well as an adhesive hook-and-loop strip for the GPS, but I chose to not use them.
Nice thought, but not for the Q.
Also included is a neat little splitter cable that plugs into the included car charger and both charges the Bluetooth GPS and has a standard Mini-USB plug for charging your phone. At least, that’s the theory. Sadly, Motorola likes to use the non-standard fifth pin in Mini-USB for charging. This cable, while thoughtful for ALK to include, does nothing when plugged into the Motorola Q. I am sure that most other phones would work fine with it, but not Motorola’s.
That's all of the US and Canada, there.
Don’t expect to use that MiniSD card for much other than CoPilot, however. After all is installed, the card has only 62.7 MB remaining. That’s good for a few pictures or Email attachments, but carting around a selection of music and video will require an investment in a 2GB card. You can find those cards on sale for as little as $30. There are no issues with copying the entire contents of the included card on to a larger card.
Installation has never been this easy.
Installation was literally a snap. Snap the card into the MiniSD slot and the application installs. On first execution, it will ask for Product Activation which is simply a matter of entering a number included in the CD case. You are then greeted by a friendly “Welcome to CoPilot voice.”
Satellite lock indoors? Nice!
The GPS module is impressive in several ways. There is no need to dig through the phone’s menus to pair the receiver with the device. On start, CoPilot Live looks for the GPS receiver and automatically starts pulling information from it. It is surprisingly sensitive, too: After recording one of the videos for this review, I realized afterward that I left the Bluetooth GPS switched on and in my camera bag on the passenger seat floor. Even down there, I had no problems getting a satellite lock. Most GPS receivers error out indoors, but this one pierced the roof of my third story apartment and provided me with my location.
Most of the time, however, I keep the GPS unit in the upper glove compartment behind my steering wheel in my Yaris. Sensitivity is a non-issue there and it is safely out of the way. To mount my phone to my dash, I use products from ProClip USA. Their device and vehicle solutions are second to none. You can see my entire related article here.
Now that we’re done with paragraph upon paragraph of introduction, how does it work? Quite well. The software and voice prompts were a bit too late in their concept of “just ahead,” but that was easily adjustable in settings. The maps are very accurate in street addresses and intersections, but the point of interest database is a little behind the curve. I attribute this to the fact that the entire map database is on a single card. Competing products either go online to get POIs or only load a few states at a time on to the card.
There are several modes (guidance, walking, and planning) and six views (Safety, Next Turn Map, Where Am I Map, Next Stop Map, 3-D Map, and Itinerary) from which to chose when operating CoPilot Live. It takes a few minutes to realize what each view is telling, but they all have times during which they are useful. I generally stay at the 3-D map. Like most GPS programs, there are backlight settings and a selectable day/night color scheme. If there was a way to manually edit colors, I could not find it.If I could change something about the display, I would give it a “full screen” view where the soft keys are implied. Also, the 3-D map alternates information displayed in the bar above the menu titles. It will show the next turn for a couple seconds, then the upcoming street name, then the distance and ETA of the trip. I would prefer it display it all at once so as not to steal the driver’s focus from the road while waiting for the desired information to display.
Dispatch to Car 54. Car 54, where are you?
The most exciting feature of this is the “Live” service. Users create a profile at live.alk.com and set an option in their phone to allow them to report their location to the Live tracking server. This service would be of great help to fleet managers. If companies like Best Buy’s “Geeks on Wheels” or CircuitCity’s “Firedog” (or any livery service, for that matter) issued each of their servicepersons a Smartphone and copy of CoPilot Live, their dispatcher can always check in on them and route their tasks accordingly.
The software itself is rock-solid. I did not experience a single crash or error while using it. The menus and locations of features aren’t always intuitive, but once familiar with the interface, it is easy to use while on the road. ALK could have improved this by setting certain keyboard buttons as “hotkeys” during operation. There are about 40 buttons on the front of the Motorola Q. Why not have several always have the same function?
Voices are clear and sharp. The Motorola Q’s built-in speaker is loud enough for me to hear alerts with music on and my window open. Even if I cannot hear the exact language of the alert, I hear enough to take a look at the screen and see what’s coming.
While driving, I noticed that the moving map only updates about once per second. Some comparable products update much more often and give a smoother looking ride. After using it for a while, however, I realized that once per second is enough for driving. After all, I’m not supposed to watch the screen the entire time.
The video above is in three parts: A little bit of driving and hearing it automatically re-route for missed turns, a start-up and example of trip planning, and a bit of navigation through the built-in interactive demo. Sadly, it was impossible to get a close-up video of the sofware in action. Phoenix streets are a bit too bumpy to allow for that. The video, while a bit long, shows real user experience of the software.
CoPilot Live is available as "software only" pre-loaded on a MiniSD card or, for $100 more, with the bluetooth GPS receiver. That extra $100 not only gets you the GPS, but also includes car mounting hardware and the charger cable. As of this writing, ALK is also offering deep discounts on these products when you chuck your old GPS software and switch.
In short, I think that CoPilot Live is a worthy and stable GPS program. For recreational drivers or people in unfamiliar areas, it’s a handy thing to have. For people who happen to own a Smartphone and find themselves entirely lost, they can purchase CoPilot Live and be running in minutes without having to go to a PC for installation. For fleet managers and livery services, it can be an extremely valuable tool.
Various legacy device drivers (my generic scanner works out of the box in XP with no drivers, for example, but Vista will not support it.)
The ability to play any DRM protected Windows Media file you own. The current Windows Media DRM does not work on Windows Vista at all.
BlueSoleil
Speed. You’ll lose lots of speed.
So I had a choice to make: “Pretty” vs. “Compatibility, Performance and Applications.” The latter won. There were far too many annoyances to keep Vista on my eo, even if I did manage to get all the hardware working. Question: “Will Windows Vista run on my ultra-mobile PC?” Answer: “Yes, but you don’t want it.”
The title seems counterintuitive, I know. The bump case makes the TabletKiosk eo v7110 thicker and the extended battery makes it heavier. However, it has changed the way I use my eo. Here’s why:
I would often take my eo to a coffee shop and sit with it for several hours reading blogs, news, press releases, FCC filings, and other research for this and my other blog. Since my preferred power settings keep my eo from getting more than 1 hour, 45 minutes of power, I would bring along my “geek bag.” Since I was bringing the bag anyway, I would throw in my charger and power cable, folding Bluetooth keyboard, Bluetooth mouse, and a few adapters and cables that come in handy when on the road. Total weight: 6 pounds 2 and a quarter ounces.
Since the case and battery arrived last week, I’ve taken to carrying ONLY the tablet around. It now reliably gives me around 3 hours, 45 minutes of power which is plenty for my research and reading. I’ve become skilled enough with the TIP panel for handwriting recognition and save my passwords in my browser so no longer need a keyboard and mouse with me. In short, the bump case and extended battery is truly the last piece of the puzzle I needed to become ultra-mobile. Total weight: 2 pounds, 10 and one half ounces.
The size comparison speaks for itself:
As far as a product by itself, the bump case feels like a faux leather and looks very good on my eo. The contrast of black to white is actually rather classy. I have had no problems with excessive heat, but I also haven’t been using it on the charger nearly as often. Using the eo while charging generates much more heat than when on battery power. If I could change anything about the case, I’d put in some kind of removable flap for screen protection and change the way the shoulder strap hooks on the back. The current shoulder strap hooks are below the battery. The extended battery makes the device top-heavy, so the clip location makes the device tip at an angle instead of being carried vertically.
The video above is what I see when attempting to use my TabletKiosk eo v7110 and the Media Center component of Windows Vista Home Premium. I haven't seen anyone else report this.
Attempting to install the driver from WindowsUpdate gave me a standard VGA display and resizing the display with the tablet buttons did not work properly. The rest of my set-up was as described in my last post about Vista.
I received my TabletKiosk eo v7110 bump case and extended battery today. They were my holiday gifts to myself. Good news is that they are compatible with each other. I actually think I prefer the eo inside the bump case for the protection, look, and feel. However, both devices on the eo itself adds significant heft. I haven't measured it yet, but it can be felt. Read on for pictures. Real-world use reports upcoming.Full review posted!
I found darrylb and ctitanic's posts on getting Vista to run on the TabletKiosk eo v7110. It took me hours and hours, but everything is working!
Prerequisites:
Windows Vista DVD and license key
USB key drive
USB keyboard and mouse (the touchscreen is useless at first)
USB DVD-ROM
External hard drive (for backups)
TabletKiosk support CD
Step 1: Back up everything. Make a full clone of your hard drive to an external drive using xxclone (if you don't like Vista) then take another external drive and run Windows Easy Transfer.
Step 2: Install Vista. Since my license key was only for Windows Vista Home Premium, I could not do an "upgrade" from Tablet PC Edition. I had to format and start fresh. I formatted my hard drive. This will take a while and when it boots it will have an 800x600 resolution display looking AWFUL.
Step 3: Install WLAN drivers. These drivers were provided to me by JKK. Installed from USB key.
Step 4: Install lifestyle buttons and video drivers from TabletKiosk CD.
Step 5: Reboot!
Step 6: Restore your data from the external hard drive from Windows EasyTransfer.
Step 7: Run WindowsUpdate
Step 8: Install applications from the eo CD.
Caveats:
It is kinda slow.
The Media Center Shell flickered like hell the first several times I started it. Now I can navigate the shell, but I can't play any video.
BlueSoleil doesn't work. I prefer it over Microsoft's bluetooth manager, so I will wait for Version 3 which is advertised to work with Vista.
Windows Live OneCare no longer breaks the touchscreen, but I am unable to add my computer to my existing license since the online activation requires XP.
Some of the permissions windows are annoying as hell. Every other thing I do is requesting some permission or another.
The Firewall alerts are annoying as well. Every program I install has Windows telling me that it's talking to the internet.
The only Motorola Q driver that worked came on the Verizon CD.
How I did it (aka the wrong, time-consuming way) Step 1: Run File and Settings Transfer wizard AND xxclone to get two solid backups. Step 2: Start installing Vista from Windows, realize I can't upgrade, Boot from the Vista DVD, format the hard drive, and install Vista. Step 3: Install WLAN drivers Step 4: Install button and video drivers from TabletKiosk CD. Step 5: Reboot! Set resolution to 1024x600 and finally be happy with how it looks. Step 5.1: Discover that "File and Settings Transfer Wizard" isn't in Vista. Step 5.2: Remove the Vista hard drive from the eo and install the xxcloned drive Step 5.3: Discover I forgot to make it bootable. Step 5.4: Remove the xxcloned drive and install it back in the USB enclosure. Step 5.5: Hook the enclosure to my laptop and use xxclone to make it bootable. Step 5.6: Remove the drive from the enclosure and install it back in the eo Step 5.7: Boot Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and install EasyTransfer from the USB stick that Vista created. Step 5.8: Do what I should've done in step 1 Step 5.9: Remove the xxclone'd drive from the eo and install the Vista drive. Step 6 and on: as documented above
The TabletKiosk eo v7110 extended battery and bump case are on their way from the manufacturer. I will post detailed reviews and information when they arrive. Also, UltraMobileGeek.com is going to retain our UMPC-heavy focus, but will expand our reviews and information to include "mobile gadgetry" related news and reviews, including:
Wireless data and service reviews
GPS and travel related software
Mobile entertainment (mostly UMPC software: I won't be reviewing iPod or Zune!)
Additional features, hacks, and HOWTOs
Look for upcoming GPS software reviews in the near future!
UPDATE: Added video of the wii freaking out on the bottom. I woke up way too early and went to Circuit City, where I was 19 in line out of 24 of these: Of course, half the time I insert a disc, I also get this:
"An error has occured. Press the Eject button, remove the Game disc, and turn the power OFF. Please read the Wii Operations Manual for more information."
Apparently I am not the only one. I hope this is a very rare thing and these problems aren't going out by the truckload to hopeful 12-year-olds.
ThoughtFix LLC is dedicated to providing news, tips, tricks, hacks, editorials, and reviews on the latest in small tablet computers and related technology.
I have had a Raon Digital Vega for the last two weeks, thanks to Dynamism.com. In the above picture, it makes my diminutive TabletKiosk eo v7110 look huge. Other active UMPC sites have reviewed this in depth and my experiences, enjoyment, and complaints about the device are identical to Steve’s over at Carrypad. I do suggest that people in the UMPC market read that review for an idea of what to expect from this device compared to other UMPCs. I needed to approach this review in a very different way:
Sure looks like a computer to me. Sharp screen too.
In-Car Terminal: Great on the Vega
Not too heavy, either.
The air exhaust at the bottom runs a little warm after a while.
Easy dash mounting
